There's Nothing Good About Goodbye
by Unexpected-Adventures
Summary: He wished with all his heart he hadn't fallen in love with Andromeda Black, but he had. He wished he didn't have to break Lily's heart to make his own feel whole again, but he was going to anyway... A Short Story for Round 7 of Quidditch League Writing Competition!


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters/story lines that belong to it, all credit goes to God-Queen Rowling!**

* * *

**This is a short story I wrote for Round 7 of the Quidditch League Writing Competition I am currently in.  
I am Chaser 2 for the Caerphilly Catapults!**

**Pairing: James & Lily  
Prompts: Clouds, Dialogue: "Let's go somewhere a bit less dull.", "There's nothing good about goodnight when it means goodbye." – Jeff Thomas**

**This round was sinking ships. My prompt was to use Andromeda Black to sink James & Lily's relationship *quiet sob* **

* * *

"Let's go somewhere a bit less dull, James."

"What-? Oh, sure Lil," James answered his wife, shaking himself from his deep thoughts.

It had been five months to the day since Lily had announced the news of her pregnancy, and the married couple sat alone in a booth in the Three Broomsticks.

Being so distracted by her raging hormones and growing stomach, Lily had hardly noticed how distant James had been lately, almost always lost in his own thoughts.

On the odd chance that she did catch him staring absentmindedly into space, he would try not to act extremely flustered, like his thoughts were not something to feel guilty about. But they were.

He had only suggested they visit the Hogsmeade pub because he knew there was a chance he would run into _her_ there. Padfoot had mentioned once or twice that her and her husband liked to come for dinner every once in a while, so he figured he would try to see her, at least one last time.

"James?" Lily asked, starring at her husband, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah- of course, I'm fine," James stuttered, clearing his throat as he did so.

"Do you want to finish your drink before we leave?" she asked, nodding towards the full glass of Firewhisky that sat untouched in front of him.

"Yes," he answered, a little too quickly to be natural, "I mean, yeah okay." If it meant buying him a few more minutes in the pub, then he would do it.

James tentatively lifted his glass and took a slow sip of the drink, his eyes flickering to the door every spare second.

He felt like a love-struck teenager all over again. Every time the pub door opened and the gust of wind blew in from outside his heart would leap, only to fall again when he realised it wasn't her.

He used to feel that way about his wife, the beautiful woman sitting across from him who was all his and was carrying his unborn child. But that had all disappeared once he had met _her_. One look and he knew he would spend the rest of his life with her, even if they were both married.

The door flew open once again, only this time James did not look to see who had entered.

It was a couple, probably around ten years older than James and Lily. The man was short and fair-haired, with a considerable sized stomach hidden beneath his thick winter cloak. The woman, however, was the exact opposite. She was tall, slender and beautiful. She had light brown hair that was curled almost perfectly, and soft wide eyes that were a piercingly dark.

"Can we get one Firewhisky and a Butterbeer, please."

As soon as James heard the voice his head snapped up from his drink, his eyes raking the room for the source.

And there she was. In all her beautiful glory.

If his wife had not been sitting directly across from him, his mouth might have dropped in the pure moment of it all.

"Oh look James," Lily said, following his gaze and smiling, "Should we invite them over?"

"No I don't think-" James began, but Lily was already one step ahead of him.

She lifted slightly from her seat and waved to the couple by the bar, who smiled back at her, took their drinks and made their way through the chairs towards them.

James tried to control his heartbeat and his now heavy breathing as he watched her walk almost effortlessly, her hair swaying elegantly behind her thin shoulders.

"Lily, don't you look gorgeous," the woman smiled, taking Lily in her arms and hugging her gently.

"Thank you, Andromeda," Lily smiled, blushing slightly.

"James, how have you been?" the short man shook James' hand in a light-hearted handshake.

_"Utterly horrible. I have a beautiful wife, am expecting a baby… and I'm in love with another man's wife."_ was what he would liked to have said. But instead he settled for the short version.

"Great Ted, yourself?" James asked with a forced smile.

"Never better," Ted Tonks chuckled happily, "You've met my wife, Andromeda yes?"

Unable to reply, James nodded, forcing another smile and turning his attention to Andromeda.

She was even more beautiful up close, if possible. He could see the resemblance she bore to her sisters, even Sirius in some parts; the typical Black family appearance.

"Hello James," Andromeda smiled, holding out her hand for James to shake it.

He did so nervously, and when his hand touched her small cold one he felt a jolt of electricity run through his entire body, numbing him to his core.

James smiled at Andromeda, only this time it wasn't forced, and he tried his best not to get lost in her dark eyes.

"Are you both staying for dinner?" Ted asked, looking to Lily and James.

At that moment Andromeda had broken her grip with James' hand, looking back toward her husband, obviously not having experienced the same feeling as James.

He hadn't been expecting much from meeting her. After all, she was happily married, and had no idea of his deep feelings for her. But he couldn't help but feel disappointed that that was what he had been waiting for all this time. Somehow in his mind, he had pictured it being a more romantic meeting.

"Actually we were-" Lily made to answer Ted's question.

"We were just leaving," James interrupted her quickly.

"We were?" Lily frowned at him.

"Oh that's a shame," Andromeda said, "We've hardly had a chance to see anyone since… well with everything that's been happening."

"Yes, well I should get Lily home," James said distractedly, pointedly looking anywhere besides Andromeda, "She has to rest."

"James I'm fine," Lily said softly, her frown deepening.

"No we should go," James said quickly, moving out from his place in the booth and standing up.

"Oh, well it was nice to see you both again," Ted said, shaking James' hand one last time and kissing Lily on the cheek.

"Maybe we'll see you around with Sirius?" Lily asked, as James took her hand and began leading her away from Ted and Andromeda.

"Yes, maybe," Andromeda called out, waving goodbye to them.

James led Lily through the chairs and tables and out the doors as quickly as he could, without looking back once.

"James what on earth was that?" Lily asked, once they had left the Three Broomsticks and were standing out in the cold Hogsmeade Street.

"Nothing," he shrugged, "I just wanted to leave."

Lily gave him one last questioning stare but did not press on the subject.

"Ready?" he asked, holding out his arm to her.

She took his arm and nodded, her hand gripping his tightly. James took a deep breath and spun around on the spot, Apparating in front of their house in Godric's Hollow.

Lily broke away from him and walked through the gate, leaving it swinging open for him to follow.

James sighed and his head lolled back, looking up at the clouds forming in the night sky. He couldn't help but thinking that they probably had a better chance of finding happiness than he did at the moment.

"James?" Lily asked, and James looked back down to see her watching him curiously from their front door.

James cleared his throat and walked through the gate towards her. He made to step aside her and open the door with his wand but she stopped him, putting a soft hand on his chest.

"James," she sighed, "What's going on?"

"What? Nothing's going on, I don't know what you're-"

"Ever since I told you I was pregnant you've been acting off," Lily frowned, "And I know it's not the baby because you've always talked about how much you want children… so what is it?"

James bit his lip nervously and looked to the ground. He couldn't bear to look in her eyes right now. They had always been his weakness whenever he looked at her. Those beautiful emerald green eyes that shone no matter what. Despite his loss of love for her, he couldn't live with himself if he knew he was the one who had stopped Lily Evan's eyes from shining.

"It's her, isn't it?" Lily asked quietly when James didn't reply.

At this, James looked up, and saw she didn't look sad or angry, or anything really. She was showing no emotion whatsoever.

James took a deep breath in and out, slowly preparing himself for what he was about to do. He looked into his wife's eyes and nodded.

For what seemed like a lifetime Lily just stared at him, and he had no idea whether she was considering him or thinking extremely hard.

"How did you know?" James asked.

"There are some things a woman can't miss," she said, in a voice so soft it was almost a whisper, "And your reaction in the Three Broomsticks just proved it."

"Oh…" James sighed – he knew his reaction had been bad, but he hadn't realised she had been clued in on his feeling for so long.

"I… I think you should go to her."

James frowned, "What?"

"I don't want to live a life with a husband who is in love with another woman," Lily said, his eyes boring into his face, "And I certainly don't want to raise a child in that kind of environment."

James frowned further and continued to stare at Lily.

"So go to her," Lily finished with a sigh, "tell her your feelings… we'll sort the rest out after."

"Lil, I-"

"Do it, James," Lily said, "If you don't you'll regret it all your life."

James sighed and shook his head. It was crazy to even think of attempting. What would he do? Burst into the Three Broomsticks and declare his love openly for Andromeda Black? In front of her, her husband and the entire of Hogsmeade?

Then again it wasn't a bad idea. He had always been rather fond of making a dramatic scene.

"Alright, I'll do it," James said, steeling himself on the doorstep.

But before he left, he turned once more to Lily and took her hand in his.

"I won't leave you alone, Lil," he said softly, "I promise."

She nodded sadly, a single tear streaming down her face, "I trust you."

"Goodnight, Lily," he whispered, kissing her on the cheek.

"There's nothing good about goodnight when it means goodbye," Lily said in a shaky voice.

James smiled sadly and soaked in all that was Lily Evans, before turning away from her. He wished with all his heart he hadn't fallen in love with Andromeda Black, but he had. He wished he didn't have to break Lily's heart to make his own feel whole again, but he was going to anyway.


End file.
